NC Senate debates funding cuts to immigration ‘sanctuary cities’

Sen. Sanderson: ‘We have to decide whether North Carolina is a rule of law state’

BY COLIN CAMPBELL

RALEIGH
State Senate Republicans tried Tuesday to speed action on a proposal to cut off school and road construction money to local governments with immigration “sanctuary city” policies.

“We have to decide whether North Carolina is a rule of law state,” said Sen. Norman Sanderson, a Pamlico County Republican. “If you have one municipality adhering to one law, and you’ve got another adhering to another law, what you’ve got is chaos.”

Sanderson filed a bill in May to penalize local governments that prevent law enforcement officers from asking about a suspect’s immigration status or sharing immigration information with federal authorities. That bill was assigned to three committees and hasn’t received a hearing in any of them. On Tuesday, Sanderson tacked the provisions to a noncontroversial House bill about jury duty records.

The jury duty-immigration combination bill passed a Senate committee minutes after it was introduced – drawing opposition from Democrats – and could be on the Senate floor later this week.

A state law approved last year banned sanctuary city policies, but it didn’t include penalties for governments that don’t comply. Sanderson said he has heard reports that the policies are still in effect, including “seven or eight counties” that recognize identification cards issued by nonprofit groups to immigrants here illegally.

A group called FaithAction says it has issued thousands of IDs with support from the Greensboro Police Department. FaithAction’s website says it “can be used by law enforcement as a helpful tool for identification, and may be accepted by city agencies, schools, health centers, and businesses, depending on the policy of each institution.”

Sanderson said cities and counties don’t have the authority to decide what qualifies as an acceptable photo ID card.

“This is not the proper way to do it,” he said, calling on local leaders and law enforcement to work with the legislature if alternative IDs are needed. “If this is going to be an acceptable method, it needs to be a statewide acceptable method.”

But Sen. Terry Van Duyn, an Asheville Democrat, said she worries that immigrants without ID might be less likely to call police when they’re victims of a crime.

“I’m wondering if we’re going to make law enforcement ask victims for a photo ID,” she said. “How does that make our community safer?”

Sanderson’s bill would put the state attorney general’s office in charge of investigating sanctuary city violations. The office would develop an anonymous tip form and review possible violations within 45 days.

If a city or county is found in violation of immigration laws, it would lose a full year of state funding for school construction projects and local street projects. If it’s still in violation after 60 days, it would lose a second year of funding.

Some Democrats voiced concerns about that process.

“I actually believe that this bill (gives) too much power to the attorney general’s office,” said Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, a Raleigh Democrat. He noted that state funding allocations are typically handled through the state treasurer’s office.

Others questioned how cities and counties would be able to appeal the attorney general’s ruling. Ben Stanley, a legislative staff attorney who helped with the bill, said he isn’t sure.

“I can’t tell you exactly what the appeal would look like,” he said. “We’re not dealing with individuals but with local governments. It’s not clear what their constitutional rights are.”

N.C. League of Municipalities spokesman Scott Mooneyham said municipalities are following the law.

“Tying (state street funding) dollars to a law unrelated to street construction and maintenance appears unprecedented and would penalize local taxpayers in ways that have nothing to do with the issue,” he said.